pay his Adoration to a God that cannot profit or deliver him; while the nominal Servant of the LORD JEHOVAH, esteems the Worship of the GoD of Heaven a Business, which may at any Time, or under any Pretence, how frivolous foever, be difpenfed with. Hence it comes to pass, that, in Contempt of all Laws Divine and Human, neither is the Sanctuary reverenced, nor the Sabbath hallowed, as it ought to be. The ftated Times of Public Worship are facrilegiously mis-spent in Riot and Excefs; and these confecrated Walls are either wretchedly deserted, or, at best, but partially frequented*, to the great Hindrance and Difhonor of the Religion which we profefs, and to the great Mischief of our own Souls.But of you, my Brethren, I would hope much better Things, though I thus fpeak:

• Partially indeed: Whether we confider the very great Proportion of our Fellow-Chriftians who feldom, if ever, attend the Public Service of the Church; or the much greater Proportion of those, who confider the Evening-Service of the Sab bath-Day as a Work of Supererogation, if not, indeed, an A& of religious Impertinence.

You,

eth

You, I hope, have learnt duly to estimate the fingular Advantages of public Worship; the Lofs of which furnished the Pfalmift with the bitterest Ingredient in his Cup of Sorrows: As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks, fo pantmy Soul after Thee, O GOD: My Soul is athirst for GOD, even for the living GOD: When Shall I come to appear before the Prefence of GOD? O! Send out thy Light and thy Truth, that they may conduct me to thy holy Hill; then will I go unto the Altar of GOD, unto God my exceeding Joy; yea, upon the Harp will I praife Thee, O GOD, my GOD *.

LET us adopt thefe fervent Sentiments of Piety; and let us be thankful to GoD, that the Means of Grace, and the Helps to our Salvation are so numerous, fo attainable, and fo

See Pfalm xlii. Ver. 1. and Psalm xliii. Ver. 3, 4. On which Paffages, fo full of the most pathetic Devotion, if the Reader would wish to enlarge his Meditations, or if indeed he would wish to read any of thefe divine Compofitions beautifully illuftrated and explained, he will, I am fure, be thankful to me for referring him to a moft judicious Commentary on the Book of Pfalms, for which this Part of the Chriftian World is much indebted to the very pious and learned Prefident of Magdalen College, Oxford, Dr. George Horne.

effectual.

G

effectual. Let your frequent Attendance here, in future, fhew that it was not mere Novelty or Curiofity, but a Senfe of Duty, which brought you hither this Day. Flatter not your felves, that you can pray as acceptably at Home, as in the Church; or that you can read as profitably as you can hear; it is a Plea which is founded in Error, and will certainly end in Disappointment . Do not contemptuously turn away from the Wellspring of Life, of whofe refreshing Streams ye are not only allowed, but invited to partake. If Arguments of Love will not prevail, be afraid of the Power and offended Majesty of Him, who hath faid, Them that bonor me, I will honor; and they that defpife me, fhall be lightly efteemed.

THIS, as it is the fitteft, is also, I am perfuaded, the most acceptable Return that can

+ I might here have mentioned the fuperior Privileges of the Sacerdotal Abfolution and Benediction; neither of which is at tainable in the Service of the Clofet; but both of which are in the Public Service authoritatively pronounced (not unconditionally, as in the Romish Church, but) to "all them that truly repent and unfeignedly believe the Gofpel of CHRIST."

i

be

be made, for that laudable and generous Zeal which hath been exerted, in Order to erect and finish this very capacious, handsome and commodious Structure. The Piety, Liberality and Industry with which this Work of Faith and Labor of Love hath been profecuted, demand the warmest Acknowlegements of every Friend to the Service of the Church of England in general; and your best Thanks in particular, whose immediate Intereft is concerned in it, and who may, if it be not your own Fault, reap infinite Advantage from it. None of you can now plead a Want of Space to receive you; here is ample Accommodation for you all.Neither can you justify your betaking yourselves to any other religious Affemblies than your own; and thereby leffening the Influence of your good Example, where it may be of the greatest Use. The faving Doctrines of Christianity are here diligently inculcated; its great Truths are carefully explained; its wholfome Precepts are ftrenuously inforced by your own Minifter; whofe Hands it is your Duty to strengthen by your Concurrence with him, and whose La

bors it is your Duty to encourage by your Proficiency under his Miniftry. No human Means are now wanting to build you up in the Faith of CHRIST; and in that Holiness of Life, which is the choicest Fruit of it, and indeed the only infallible Token of its Sincerity.

WERE it not that they are least gratified by Praise, who best deserve it, much more might, and indeed ought to be said, in Commendation of those, who, with unremitted Application, have attended to this useful and pious Undertaking, and whose Bounty hath contributed towards its Completion: Without fuch Diligence and Zeal, the Progrefs of a Work so highly neceffary would have been wretchedly retarded; and without fuch liberal Contributions, it never would have been perfected at all, in that beautiful Simplicity in which you behold every Thing around you.

Shew then, I say, your Gratitude to those who have imitated the Patriotism of the Centurion in the Gospel: He is recorded as having * loved the Jewish Nation, in that he had built

• Luke vii. 5.

them