Family FPjling~ 387 Fifthly, It is proper that the concluding prayer be made by the head ofthe family: and that th~rei? he refume the confeffions, profefiions, and fupphcauons on the matters of thefafi; humbly acknowledge their failures in the management of the work; and profef~ · 1 their looking for pardon and acceptance thro'the ?lood ofJefus Chrifi a] one, and alfo for grace to ·walkm the ways of new obedience, thro' the fame atoning blood. Then the joint exercife may be dofed,with finging fome part ofa pfolm, fuch as, Pfa. xc. 13. to the end, Pfal. lxxxv.6. to the end, or Pfal. lxix. 30. and downward. Lajlly, The joint exercife of the family being over, let each ofth~m go apart by himfelf again, and fpend fome time in a review ofwhafthey have been employ- · ed in, and i_n fecret prayer: the which is but a fu-itable conclufion to fuch folemn work. And family refor– mation ought to follow her~upon; every member of the family watching over himfelf,& all of.them watch– ing, one over another : that by their holy walking, in peace and unity, and a confcientious perforn1ance of their relative duties, it may appear, that they have been fincere and upright before the Lord, in their fafi. l \ The C 0 N C L US I 0 , N. AND now, to recom!nend the practice of thefe duties, to perf~ns and families, thefe fiv~ things are offered in favour thereof; namely, that the prac– tice of them is a proper means { 1] To bring llran– gers to religion, acquainted with h; (2) To recover b~ckfii?ers; (3) .To prevent relapfes; (4) To prepare for a t1me of tnal; and /aftly, To get matters clear for eterni ~y. · , . Firfl, .~h7 pr~ctice ofperfonal and family-fa:ll:ing .and ~u~rlJhatJon ~s a proper _means to bring firangers to rehg10n acquamted wtth 1t ; that thefe, who have not yet dipt into practical religion, may begin to en.. ter int~ it• .T.he work ofcox:verfion unto God, begins at folemn fenous confiderauon of one's own fpiritual fiate and cafe: the which, if finners could once be B b 3 brought I
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