oinciding
with their natural bias, precept and counsel are commonly lost upon
them, if taught by parental example to do evil. It is therefore of the
greatest importance, especially to the members of a family, that the
head should "behave himself wisely in a perfect way, and walk within
his house with a perfect heart."

5. Prayer, _especially family prayer is another means seeking a godly
seed_.

This duty is important, as it tends to solemnize the heart, and
produce a serious and devout temper; and as it tends to draw down the
divine blessing on those who attend it.

When children witness a parent daily looking up to heaven, and
fervently imploring the divine blessing on himself and them--when they
hear him humbly confessing sin, and its demerits, and imploring
pardon--when they observe him devoutly thanking God for existence, for
continuance in life, and for all its comforts--when they hear him
asking grace to help and divine direction and guidance--when they see
him besieging the throne of grace for the Holy Spirit to renew and
sanctify them, enable them to do every duty, fill them with love to
God and man, enable them to bear injuries and requite them with
kindness, yea, to be good and do good--to make them faithful unto
death and then to receive them to the mansions of glory, and are
called to join in these solemn addresses to heaven, What other lesson
is equally instructive? What hath so dire a tendency to solemnize the
heart and impress it with the most just and weighty religious
sentiments? In this view, family prayer is of vast importance. If
attended as every serious person may attend it, cannot be wholly
without effect, and hath often the happiest effect.

It is not great talents, or showy gifts, but seriousness, solemnity
and fervor, which render prayer prevalent with God and beneficial to
man, as a means of exciting to other duties, and producing religious
awe and reverence.

This duty is also important, as tending to draw down the divine
blessing on the devout worshipper and on his connexions.

Every good gift cometh down from God; but his gifts are usually
bestowed in answer to prayer--"Ye have not because ye ask not--Ask,
and it shall be given you--for every one that asketh, receiveth."
--Spiritual mercies are seldom given but in answer to prayer; and
seldom long denied to earnest persevering prayer. This is the spirit
of one of our Savior's parables, * and the purport of many passages in
the wor