"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
O Godtry me, and know my thoughts;
know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me,
and lead me and lead me in the way everlasting."
and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

   Doing this, implies cordially yielding to His authority; heartily consenting to have Him reign over you; fully determining to obey Him forever in all things; and instantly entering upon the actual performance of all known duty.

   Taking God for your portion, implies being willing to relinquish whatever comes in competition with Him as an object of your affection; preferring His favor, and dreading His frown, before that of all other beings; deriving comfort in your afflictions by making Him your refuge; and resting in Him alone, as your sovereign and supreme good.

   This is ceasing from all dependence upon your own doings; your resolutions; your convictions and repentings; your prayers, or the prayers and efforts of your friends; your supposed obedience to the law; your deeds of kindness and charity, to recommend you to justice; and resting solely upon the atoning righteousness of Christ for pardon and salvation.

   This purpose is a disposition to inquire at all times, what Christ would have you to do; a willingness to follow the indications of His pleasure, at whatever sacrifice; and an habitual consecration of all your powers to Him and His service.

   Secret devotions are not ejaculatory offerings merely, made in your mind as you go about your business by day, or after you have retired to your bed in the night; although these are good in their place.
    According to our Saviour's directions, they include entering some retired place, and on your knees before God offering up to Him the desires of your heart; confessing your sins; seeking His forgiveness; acknowledging His mercies; invoking the Holy Spirit to enlighten and sanctify you; and praying, with importunity, for individual blessings upon others, and for the coming of Christ's kingdom.
   This should be connected with reading the Scripures, and should be performed at least every morning and evening. If you faithfully maintain communion with God, these seasons will be pleasant and often exceedingly refreshing to you.

   Entrusted to your special guardianship, are all the members of your household; and it is your duty to consecrate for them an altar of domestic prayer, and to conduct them to the throne of grace. This should be done every morning and evening, with the whole household assembled. It should be connected with the reading of the Scriptures, at least in the morning, and also, if practicable, with singing. The prayers should be of moderate length; adapted to the capacities of all present; varying, with circumstances; always affectionate and solemn.

   Doing this, implies keeping your household clear, as far as practicable, of all persons of corrupt sentiments and vicious habits; conducting toward its members with Christian affection; avoiding domestic irritations, and rebuking with gentleness and firmness those who do wrong; inculcating upon them the truths and duties of religion, evincing its excellence in your habitual conduct; and faithfully seeking the temporal and everlasting welfare of all in your house. Some are better Christians abroad than they are at home: is it so with you?

   Faithfulness in this repect, implies loving the church with a sacred and strong affection; praying much for it; being very jealous for its purity and honor; seeking its increase; faithfully attending its meetings of Christian fellowship and prayer; sympathising deeply in its prosperity or adversity; contributing to its edification; and finding great enjoyment in the communion of the saints.

   This you may do by praying for them; by writing to them; by conversing with them; by placing Christian books in their hands; and by all the means through which you can bring their minds in contact with the truths and influences of the gospel.

   It is the tendency of living near to God to convince us more and more of the deep moral depravity of our hearts, and of the exceeding sinfulness of sin as committed against God, against the Saviour, against the Holy Spirit, against the law and the gospel, against great light and privileges, against the Redeemer's kingdom, and the everlasting well-being of man, and against our own souls. This produces deep self-abhorrence, humility, and contrituon.

   Doing this, implies "denying ungodliness, and every worldly lust;" endeavoring to mortify and subdue all pride, envy, covetousness, ill-will, resentment, worldliness of spirit; "casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."
   To this end, you will fervently pray for the indwelling influences of the Holy Spirit, and He will sometimes make intercession for you "with groanings which cannot be uttered."

   Minds of defferent temperament and edcation are somewhat variously affected with this view of sin; but all truly penitent and believing minds, when they contemplate sin in the light of the cross, feel a peculiar tenderness of spirit on account of it, and aversion of soul towaards it; and some of their strongest motives to avoid it are drawn from the cross of Christ.

   If you are truly regenerate, you love the Bible, not only for its literary beauties, its sublimity and pathos, its interesting histories, its treasures of intellectual knowledgge, but more especially for its moral character, its holiness, its disclosures of God and His government; its tendency to elevate and purify our sould; it adaptation to our moral necessities under all cirumstances.

   The truly religious man anticipates the Sabbath with desire; hails it with joy; delights in its services; and often finds it a sweet antepast of heaven; – he dismisses worldly thoghts from his mind on that day, to afford exclusive entertainment to religion; nor does he indulge in sloth at the house of God, but gives his most wakeful powers to its holy and delightful services.

   This implies the practice of strict Christian integrity in your dealings; a conscientious regard to truth in all things; and a careful avoiding of all evil speaking and slander, remembering that "if any man seemeth to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, that man's religion is vain." It is maintaining a consistent, elevated, pure, amiable, cheerful piety towards God and benevolence towards man, so that others may see that you have learned of Christ.