deavours to check him; but all in vain. Having once allowed fome strong passion to gain the afcendant, he has thrown himself into the middle of a torrent, against which he may fometimes faintly ftruggle, but the impetuofity of the ftream bears him along. In this fituation he is so far from being free, that he is not master of himself. He does not go, but is driven; tossed, agitated, and impelled; paffive, like a ship to the violence of the waves.

After paffion has for a while exercised its tyrannical fway, its vehemence may by degrees fubfide. But when, by long indulgence, it has established habits of gratification, the finner's bondage becomes then more confirmed, and more miferable. How many flaves do we see in the world to intemperance, and all kinds of criminal pleasure, merely through the influence of cuftoms which they had allowed to become so inveterate that it was not in their power to alter them? Are they not often reduced to a condition fo wretched, that when their licentious pleasures have become utterly infipid, they are ftill forced to continue them, folely because they cannot refrain; not becaufe the indulgence gives them pleasure, but because abitinence would give them pain; and this too, even when they are obliged at last to condemn their habits of life, as injuring their fortune,

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fortune, impairing their conftitution, or disgracing their character? Vice is not of such a nature that we can say to it, Hitherto shalt thou come and no further. No man who has once yielded up the government of his mind, and given loofe rein to his defires and paffions, can tell now far these may carry him.

PROPRIETY OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.

F there exift a Supreme Being, the Creator of

IF

the world, no confequence appears more natural and direct than this, that he ought to be worshipped by his creatures, with every outward expreffion of fubmiffion and honour. We need only appeal to every man's heart, whether this be not a principle which carries along with it its own obligation, that to Him who is the Fountain of our life and the Father of our mercies; to Him who has raised up that beautiful structure of the universe in which we dwell, and where we are surrounded with so many bleffings and comforts; folemn acknowledgments of gratitude fhould be made, praises and prayers fhould be offered, and all fuitable marks of dependence on him be expreffed.-This obligation extends beyond the filent and fecret fentiments of our hearts.

Befides

Befides private devotion, it naturally leads to affociations for public worship; to open and declared profeffions of refpect for the Deity. Where bleffings are received in common, an obligation. lies upon the community, jointly to acknowledge them. Sincere gratitude is always of an open and diffusive nature. It loves to pour itfelf forth; to give free vent to its emotions; and, before the world, to acknowledge and honour a Benefactor.

UTILITY OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.

WHEN we furvey the general state of man

kind, we find them continually immerfed in worldly affairs; bufied about providing the neceffaries of life, occupied in the purfuits of their pleasures, or eagerly profecuting the advancement of their interefts. In fuch a fituation of things, a small measure of reflection might convince any one, that without fome returns of facred days, and fome folemn calls to public worship, it were impoffible to preferve in the world any fenfe of objects, fo foreign to the general current of thought, as an invifible Governor, and a future ftate. If it be of importance to the peace and good order of fociety, that there fhould prevail

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prevail among men the belief of One in the heavens, who is the protector of righteousness and the avenger of crimes, if it be of importance that they be taught to look forward to a day of judgment, when they are to be brought to account for their most fecret actions, and eternally rewarded or punifhed, according as their conduct has been good or evil; if fuch principles as thefe, I fay, be of confequence to the public welfare, they certainly enforce the authority of public worship, and prove the neceffity of religious inftruction.

ENDS OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.

THE ends for which we assemble in the house of God are two; to worship God, and to

liften to religious inftructions.

The public worship of God is the chief and most facred purpose of every religious affembly of Chriftians. Let it here be remembered, that it is not the uttering, or the hearing of certain words, that conftitutes the worship of the Almighty. It is the heart that praises or prays. If the heart accompany not the words that are spoken or heard, we offer the facrifice of foals. By

the

the inattentive thought, and the giddy and wandering eye, we profane the temple of the Lord, and turn the appearance of devotion into infult and mockery.

With regard to religious inftruction, attention. and reverence are unquestionably due. All reli gious and moral knowledge comes from God. It is a light from heaven, first tranfmitted to man by the original conftitution of his nature, and afterwards made to fhine with fairer and fuller luftre by the revelation of the gospel in Jefus Chrift. Its brightness may fometimes be ftronger, and sometimes weaker, according to the mediums by which it is conveyed. But ftill, as far as the inftructions delivered from the pulpit are illuminated by the ray from heaven, they are the truths of God, and ought to be received as fuch. Refinements of vain philofophy, or intricate fubtilties of theological controverfy, are undoubtedly not entitled to fuch regard. But when the great principles of natural or revealed religion are dif cuffed; when the important doctrines of the gofpel concerning the life, and fufferings, and death. of our bleffed Redeemer are difplayed; or useful inftructions regarding the regulation of life, and the proper discharge of our feveral duties, are the fubjects brought into view; it is not then