trine according to godliness.Christ is a minister of holiness, and his salvation tends to promote and encourage every moral excellency of heart and life. God has in every thing, provided for his own glory, and for the happiness and respectability of his kingdom, in the plan and accomplishment of his grace and of his designs of mercy.

It is also evident from the preceding considerations, that God, in whose hands we are, does not himself suppose, that the sufficiency of Christ's atonement lays him under any obligations to the sinner, much less does it give men who remain impenitent and unbelieving, any encouragement to hope for mercy. Sanctification then must be our evidence of an interest in the blessings of the gospel. In a word, reader, thou must be born again."Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

proof in favor of the religious duties of the table.

II. Point out the reasonableness and benefit of them. And III. Give some directions for the right performance of them.

I. Let us attend to the scripture proof in favor of the religious duties of the table. By the religious duties of the table, we mean an open and visible acknowledgment of God by praying to him for his blessing and thanking him for his mercies, at our family and social meals.

Christ, our great pattern has set us an example of these duties. This he did in those miraculous meals, when he fed thousands with a few loaves; and also when he sat down at a common meal with the two disciples at Emmaus. In these instances, it is evident, that it was an open and not a secret duty. It was a duty in which they all united; yet Christ is said to perform it, because he led in the duty and was the mouth of the whole. That this duty was not to be confined to Christ himself, is evident from the example of his servant Paul, when on board the prison ship. "He took HERE is no branch of re-bread and gave thanks to God in

Observations upon the religious duties of the common table.

siderable to merit our attention. he had broken it he began to There are various ways in which eat." Paul's giving thanks was we are allowed to express our not done secretly with himself, dependence upon God, and prof- as it would have been, had he it by drawing near unto him. been eating alone; but it was a Those religious duties which meal in which they all united: accompany our common meals therefore he gave thanks to God are a part of the worship which in presence of them all. The way we owe to Almighty God. A in which the apostle attempted few thoughts on this subject to reconcile the weak and strong may help to perfect the man of believers to each other, in Rom. God, and furnish him more tho- xiv. 6. was to remind them of a roughly to every good work. practice which was common at It is proposed all their tables, whether they ate It To collect the scripture herbs or meat. The practice

ceives a gift, it is then peculiarly.
suitable, that he should say to
his benefactor, "I thank you for
your liberality—you have been
very good to take pity on such a
miserable and undeserving ob-
ject-I am greatly obligated to
you--had it not been for your
bounty, I must have suffered-
I shall still be dependent, and
though I am already deeply in
debt to your generosity, I hope
I shall still be remembered
among the other poor, who are

The proof, which has now been adduced, is all collected from the new testament; but we need not doubt but that it was a duty, practised by the pious, before Christ came. There are the same reasons for the duty in every age. One or two passages now occur to my mind in the old testament, which appear to imply the duty now re-supplied from your fulness." A commended. "When thou hast eaten, and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God, for the good land which he hath given thee." Deut. viii. 10."For the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice, and afterwards they eat that be bidden" 1 Sam. ix. 13. Thanksgiving at our meals being made to appear clearly a scriptural duty, we proceed

II. To show the reasonableness and benefit of the duty. If a duty can be learned from scripture command or example, we should practise it, whether we can see the good arising from it or not; but the duty now in question is not only pointed out in the bible, but is clearly our reasonable service, and is attended with beneficial conse

quences.

The reasonableness of the duty arises out of our entire dependence upon God. If we are entirely dependent, we ought to feel it; and since we have tongues, we ought to express it. Meal times are suitable seasons to express our dependence upon God. It is proper, that a poor beggar should always feel his dependence upon and obligation to his benefactor; and when he re

beggar, whose tongue is not stiff, who never, at the time of receiving that bounty which feeds him, expresses any such sense of obligation to his earthly benefactor, we should suppose was a very ungrateful wretch. Without gratitude in the heart, he might express it with his tongue; but when it is in the heart, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak.

Those who love their dependence on God, and who feel thanktul to this great benefactor, will rejoice to take every suitable opportunity, to acknowledge that all their mercies flow from him. And what a suitable time we have for this when we gather around the table of his bounty. Here we see our Creator opening his hand repeatedly to supply the wants of his dependent and unworthy creatures. we see upon the table is of his own providing. The animals upon which we feed are his. The bread grew upon his earth. It was brought forward by the influence of his sun and by the rain which he caused to descend. But some man will say, It was I who sowed it, and I labored hard to gather it in.-True, but who made thee capable of sowing and

All

so it is of great use to us to do it, and that frequently. Table duties are oftener repeated than family prayer, and come in be

dresses to our Creator, to refresh our minds with his mercy and our own needs.

2. The duties of the table, being duly performed at every meal, tend to make a family

3. A religious duty before and

reaping? Who gave thee health | feel and express our dependence, and strength, to be thus employ ed, while at the same time thy neighbor lay groaning upon his bed, and could not go into his field, though as willing to between those more lengthy adthere as thou wast? We ought to be no less thankful to God, for the food with which our tables are covered, than though it descended upon them by a miracle. We may say to God, in view of all this provision, with the strict-more serious and orderly. est propriety, "for all things come of thee." There is noth-after our meals has a tendency to ing of our own upon our table. prevent intemperance. It brings Let us also remember, that all an awe upon the mind, and this bounty is most justly forfeit- makes us afraid to abuse these ed by our sin. Can we be so divine gifts. The least degree unreasonable, as to sit down and of intemperance, even in eating, eat and drink, and rise up tends to unfit our minds for deand not confess our own un-votional exercises. This is calworthiness, and acknowledgeculated to make us careful, while his great goodness? If any sitting at our meal, not to unfit should say, We do it in our ourselves to give thanks at the hearts but not openly; it may close of it. be replied, this is suitable if you eat by yourselves, but not if you eat in company with others. We are social creatures-we should be so in our worship, as well as in other things. If we unite in receiving divine bounty, we should unite in expressing a sense of divine goodness. If all this is kept secret in our hearts, God is not visibly glorified. We are required not only with one mind, but with one mouth to glo-gether. This time ought to be rify God.

The reasonableness of openly giving thanks to God at our meals is plain. Some of the advantages of this reasonable ser

vice will be hinted at.

1. It does much towards keeping up in our minds a sense of the goodness of God, and of our dependence upon him. As it is reasonable, that we should

4. Table duties, rightly per formed, have a happy influence upon table conversation. This is a matter of no inconsiderable importance. Allowing fifteen minutes to each meal, three meals a day will consume three quarters of an hour in every twenty four. This is no inconsiderable part of that time, in which the members of a family have opportunity to converse to

filled up with profitable disdom of God should not be forcourse. The things of the kingAnd will not the religious duties gotten at our common tables. of the table have a tendency to introduce religious conversation? Is not the polite custom (which is introduced even into some praying families) of neglecting religious duties at our afternoon tea, an inlet to trifling discourse?

Why should God be disowned at this more than any other meal? III. We now wait for some directions for the right performance of the duties of the table.

Not

less and trifling manner.
only the one who leads in this
exercise, but all who are around
the table, and even all who are
in the room should be solemn
and devout. They should strive
to have their hearts go up to
God with the words which are
uttered.

Direction 4. It appears to me a matter of considerable con sequence, that the person lead

Direction 1. Let these duties be performed in a decent and orderly manner. Let the family, at least all who eat together, be assembled around the table before the blessing is craved, and not retire, unless something very special call for it, before the re-ing in table duties should seek turning of thanks. Let the children, whether at table or not, be taught to keep perfectly still, while the Most High is addressed, however short the address may be.

to avoid a perfect sameness. A perfectly new form of blessing and thanks at each meal cannot be expected, nor desired. The same occasion will repeatedly call for the same petitions and thanksgivings. The duties being short, there is not that room for variety, which there is in longer prayers, (for these are in reality nothing less than short prayers.) Still there may be a considerable variation even in these short exercises. If you ask what is the use of a variety? I answer, it is important to keep up the attention of the worshippcrs.

Direction 2. Let these, and all other addresses to God in social prayer, be spoken with an audible voice, so that it shall not be difficult for those who join to hear every word which is spoken. Some have been guilty of a great fault in this respect; they have spoken with so low a voice in this duty, that however well they may have spoken to God, others were not edified. We ought also to avoid the other extreme, which is a loud tone of voice. A strained voice sounds peculiarly unnatural at a table, where all the worshippers are within a few feet of each other. Direction 3. Strive to be really devotional in these duties.A spirit of devotion is indispensably necessary. Leave this out, and all we do is but as a smoke in the nose. The Apostle directs, "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord." It is a solemn thing for dust and ashes to speak unto Him, who fills immensity, even if we utter but a single petition. It is highly displeasing to God, to see us rushing their petitions, as well as into his presence in a thought- their hearts. It must greatly

A perfect uniformity wears us out. It prevents devotion in the mind of the one who speaks. If a man always repeats one prayer, without the least variation, it does not engage his own attention. He is in danger, like the school boy, who has said his piece an hundred times, of hardly noticing what he says, or the force of his own expressions. Besides, this way of worshipping leaves no room for the Spirit of God to make our minds fruitful in the matter of prayer; whereas all the prayerful know, that they derive unspeakable benefit from the anointings of the Spirit in enlarg

fetter the mind of a praying | act of panting after greater near-
man, to be always confined to
one set of words in secret or
social duties, whether the du-
ties be long or short. If our
table duties are uniformly the
same, word for word, it will
render them quite irksome to
our families, whether it has that
effect upon our own minds or

not.

ness and conformity to God, it
you ask the Lord to bless the
will be easy and natural, before
food, to beseech him to bless
your souls with his
the light of his countenance.-
grace and
If at another time, you are
weighed down with a sense of
your guilt, at the very moment
not be difficult to begin with a
table duties are required, it will
confession of entire unworthi-

duties, we should always bring
It is proper, that in table
into view table mercies, but we
selves to these.
are not obliged to confine our-

heart, when giving thanks for A grateful the bounties of the table, will mercy, and then of that; and it very naturally think now of this is not unsuitable that they should have a place in our table thanksgivings.

REFLECTIONS.

lect openly to give God thanks 1. They, who entirely negat their social meals, make their piety look quite doubtful.— "Whoso keepeth the whole law and offendeth in one point, is guilty of all."

Here let me add, the duties of the table may be drawn out to such a length as to fatigue.-ness. When they are uniformly long, and at the same time very formal, the family around the table feel uneasy, as soon as the duty begins; for they already anticipate the full length of it, and know well every syllable which is to be spoken. Would it not be adviseable to vary as to the length of these duties? Sometimes let them be quite short; at other times, if more things rush into the mind, the duty may be protracted. The fervency of the petition at such times will arrest the attention of all, and it will animate the devotions of kindred souls. This remark will apply with much the same force to the morning and evening prayer. Some variety, as to the matter and length of our family prayers, is necessary to keep up the attention of our household; and to keep up their attention is a thing of more importance than is commonly supposed. If you ask, how you can have this variety in your duties? the answer is, Go to your duties with praying hearts. Keep your hearts full of religious exercises, and your table duties and your family prayers will know it.

If when you are called to the table, your heart is then in the VOL. V. No. 6.

form this duty as a mere cere2. They, who appear tɔ permony, without any life, do also make their piety look doubtful. " God is a Spirit, and they who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.”

bers of a family, who do not 3. Those subordinate memattend and unite in this reasonascem to set their hearts to ble service, but whose counteproof, that they wish table dunances and actions exhibit daily ties were dispensed with; such that God is not in all their persons give us reason to fear. thoughts.

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