nomination of Christians he may conscientiously prefer; but, under some form or other, the adoration of the Deity remains an indispensable duty. If divine worship be the proper business of the day, no believer in Revelation can be unnecessarily absent, without offending the Almighty Being, who has commanded the sabbath to be kept holy.

The high and spiritual delights arising from the discharge of this duty, might seem sufficient inducement to its regular performance. In renouncing for a season the business and pleasure of the world, the mind at ease and unfettered indulges the ardour of its devotion; an ardour that is the parent of the most ennobling sentiments, and that lifts it for a time beyond the narrow precincts of terrestrial nature. Joined with fellow Christians in the same devout exercises, with bosoms inspired with the same hopes, and responding to the same exalted feelings, the heart, as it bounds in rapturous communion with God, anticipates the pure joys of heaven. In the excitement thus given to the virtuous energies of moral beings, the soul is purified from the pollutions of earth, and elevated almost to a level with those spotless and ethereal intelligences who inhabit a brighter and eternal world. In these moments of devout fervency is realized the promise of the Deity, to bring those who keep the

D d

sabbath from polluting it, to his holy mountain and to make them joyful in his house of prayer o. Those who have ever experienced these feelings of sacred transport will exclaim, "O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyiful noise unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods

Of all the duties in which rational creatures can be engaged, that of social worship is most powerfully adapted to cherish the growth of genuine piety. The fervour attending it, the solemnity with which it is performed, and the recollections which it calls up, are calculated to stimulate our love and veneration for the Deity. In devout abstraction from worldly cares and pursuits, the mind dwells entire and undivided upon heavenly things; it is absorbed in spiritual thought; and sees with clearness and force the perfections of God as displayed in the works of creation and redemption. The blessings of salvation purchased by the atoning sacrifice of Christ, are contemplated with that deep interest which attaches the heart in gratitude to its Redeemer. A pardoning God, an interceding Saviour, a sanctifying Spirit, are presented to the

* Isa. lvi. 7

h Ps. XCV.

1-3.

view, surrounded with all the attributes which can win our affections, and command our adoration. Along with meek reverence to the everblessed Trinity, is awakened a sentiment of universal kindness and benevolence to man. What is more august, more affecting, more adapted to excite the feelings of brotherly affection, than the appearance of a full assembly of fellow-creatures in humble prostration before the throne of the Most High? All ranks and conditions being united in one common service, and a service stimulating the best affections of human nature, are drawn towards each other by the influence of sympathy and mutual regard. They are assembled together as members of the same family, as children of the same Parent, acknowledging the same wants, trusting in the same Saviour, and aiming at the same end by means which rarely fail, when duly applied, to melt the heart të unbounded charity. Who ever departed the company of the faithful, worshipping in the house of prayer, without experiencing a fresh stimulus to his piety towards God, and his benevolence to man?

Nor is it reasonable to doubt that the sabbati cal exercises of devotion are attended with the especial favour of God. Our Lord dignified by his presence, and distinguished by his grace, the septenary day of his resurrection; and the same

day of the week, at the feast of Pentecost, was signalized by the miraculous effusion of the Holy Ghost. The apostles, in obedience to the command of their divine Master, "continued in fellowship, and in prayer, and in breaking of bread;" and when assembled sung "psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs." Many promises are made by the Almighty to devout prayer and supplication; all of which apply to public worship on the Lord's day; and this is agreeable to the declaration at the first institution of the sabbath. When God appropriated the seventh day to himself, he also "blessed it," that is, promised to annex his special blessing to the pious observance of it. If we devote it to religious exercises, he has thus engaged to accept the homage which we offer to him in sincerity and truth. The Supreme Lord will then be propitious to the prayers of his faithful people; he will graciously accept the offerings of contrite hearts, shedding abroad upon them the influence of his Spirit, when they participate in the ordinances he has prescribed. So favourably does he regard public worship, that his blessing is bestowed upon the punctual discharge

Acts ii. 42. *Deut. iv. 7.

Ephes. v. 19.

Ps. lxv. 2.-lxxxvi. 5. Isa. xxx. 19. Jer. xxix. 12.-xxxiii. 3. Joel ii. 32. Zech. xiii. 9. Matt. vii. 8.

Rom. x. 12, 13. 1 Tim. ii. 8.

James v. 16. Revel. v. 8. --

viii. 3,4; and other places.

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of this duty. Let all, therefore, who confide in the Word of God, accept the opportunities of public worship as a valuable boon; let them regard the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable;" let them esteem "one day in his courts better than a thousand;" so will they obtain the divine favour and protection, which can alone enable them to gain the crown of glory that fadeth not away.

The time, the place, and the mode of divine worship, are discussions foreign from the object. of this work, which proposes only to ascertain the general duty, leaving the particular ritual observances to be determined by each national church; but the subject of evening Lectures is so identified with the public edification of the Lord's day, and has of late been so pressed upon the public attention, that I cannot forbear to offer a few observations.

The hour of holding public assemblies, being no where prescribed in the sacred Scriptures, must be determined by the authority of the church, upon those general principles which apply to every other question of religious expediency. The evils resulting from evening meetings in villages and small towns are so evident, so preponderating over the good, that the most strenuous advocates of sunday evening lectures are unanimous in confining them to cities and larger