we humbly supplicate therefore the Divine grace : praying, in the language of the Apostle in my text, that "the God of patience and consolation may grant you to be likeminded one toward another, according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

O Almighty God, who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone; Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine that we may be made an holy temple acceptable unto thee: and that, as there is but one Body and one Spirit, and one Hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may henceforth be all of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and one mouth glorify Thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 1.

1 St. Simon and St. Jude; and the Sovereign's Accession.

DISCOURSE XVII.

THE CHURCH'S PUBLICK WORSHIP, DUTY OF BEING

PRESENT AT ITS COMMENCEMENT.

PSALM 1xxxiv. 1, 2.

How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

It has been always the practice with those, who believe in God, to meet together at certain times and seasons, for the purpose of uniting together in his worship. The history of the Jewish Church from its establishment to its dissolution, and the history of the Christian Church from its first foundation down to the present hour, concur in giving evidence to the fact. That such meetings are agreeable to Almighty God we know, because in the revelation of his will contained in the holy Scriptures, we find that they are especially appointed by Him; that the blessing of his Divine

visitation and peculiar favour is signally promised to them; that his most faithful servants have been uniformly distinguished for their diligent attendance on them; and have been accordingly selected by the Holy Spirit in his word as subjects of the Divine commendation. Under the law, it was appointed for the children of Israel to assemble at the tabernacle of the congregation, there to be "met and to be communed with by the Lord '." Under the Gospel, our blessed Lord has in like manner promised, that He will be "in the midst of them, who are gathered together in his name 2;" and He gave a pledge and earnest of the accomplishment of his promise by sending down his Holy Spirit upon his Apostles, when "they were all with one accord in one place "." The Apostles accordingly made it their practice, as it had been the custom of their Lord and Master, Himself the pattern of all righteousness, to "continue daily with one accord in the temple;" and to "break bread," or celebrate the holy Communion, in their own special places of Christian worship: and it was esteemed a subject, not unworthy of Apostolical exhortation, that men should unite in community of religious exercises, and "not forsake the assembling of themselves together, as the manner of some was 4."

'Exod. xxv. 22.

3 Acts ii. 1.

2 Matt. xviii. 20.

4 Heb. x. 25.

Now for this practice of men assembling together for the purpose of uniting in religious worship, I apprehend that two leading reasons may be assigned: one, that by "letting our light shine before men" in the various offices of devotion, and by performing in their sight the good works of piety and faith in God, we give the Lord the honour due unto his name, and so incite them to "glorify our Father, which is in heaven;" the other, that by a zealous co-operation in our addresses to the throne of grace, both our prayers are more effectual in calling down a blessing from the Almighty; and also we provoke 2" each other to imitation, and contribute to "edify one another;" so that every man conduces more to his own spiritual improvement, and at the same time to that of his brethren.

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If I am right in assigning these two reasons, namely, the promotion of God's glory, and of man's spiritual improvement, as the reasons for which publick worship has been established and practised; it will follow, I think, that these supply a proper criterion for judging, whether any particular in the performance of such worship is right or wrong. So that if any particular shall appear, on due examination, to promote God's glory, and our own and our brethren's spiritual welfare; we may be satisfied

'Matt. v. 16.

2

2 Cor. ix. 2.

3

1 Thess. v. 11.

of its being agreeable to the general purpose for which publick worship was appointed, and may begin or continue to practise it with a safe and approving conscience. But if on the other hand we shall find any particular, not conducive to God's honour, or not conducive to our own or our brethren's spiritual improvement, and still more if we shall find such a particular manifestly injurious to both, we may then, I think, be satisfied, that the particular in question, not being agreeable to the general purposes of publick worship, cannot be right, must be wrong; and therefore ought to be carefully avoided, if it has not been before adopted, or, if it has, then to be forthwith laid aside.

It will not be supposed, that I have been making the foregoing observations without an eye to some particular practice in connection with our publick worship, which I consider either questionable or faulty. I allude certainly to one, which I consider by no means questionable, but as selfevidently and decidedly wrong. It prevails in a greater or less degree in most churches: in this, as in many others, it prevails to a considerable degree. I am not sure, but you are already aware of the practice to which I point: but I am sure, that if you are aware of it, there is not one serious person in this or in any other congregation, not one person, who is really concerned for God's honour, and for his own and his brethren's

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