of their interefts. XI. In fuch a fituation of S ERM. things, a small measure of reflexion might convince any one, that without fome returns of facred days, and fome folemn calls to public worship, it were impoffible to preserve in the world any fense of objects, fo foreign to the general current of thought as an invisible Governor, and a future ftate. If it be of importance to the peace and good I speak SERM. I fpeak now particularly with a view XI. to the multitude, the great mass and body of the people. We all know, how feldom from education, or private instruction, they have the advantage of deriving fentiments of religion or morality. Early obliged to labour for their bread, they would remain all their days in grofs ignorance of every moral or facred principle, were it not for those public affemblies in which they hear of God, and Chrift, and judgment, and heaven and hell. Shut up thofe temples to which they refort with reverence; exclude them from the opportunities they now poffefs of receiving religious instruction, and imbibing religious ideas; and what can you expect them to become? no other than a ferocious rabble, who fet free from checks of confcience, and fears of divine vengeance, would be prone to every outrage which they could commit with impunity. It is well known that, in the early ages of the world, fages and legiflators who endeavoured to tame and to affociate the bar barous XI. barous hordes of men, found it neceffary SE R M. for this purpose, to have recourse to religion. By bringing the rude multitudes to worship together, and at ftated times and places, to join in hymns and songs to their deities, they gradually restrained them from violence, and trained them to fubordination and civilized life. During the progress of society in after periods, religious affemblies at church continue, I am perfuaded, to have a very 'confiderable influence on the civilization and improvement of the people. Even independent of effect upon their moral principles, by leading numbers of them to meet together in an orderly way, and in their most decent appearance, they tend to humanize and polish their manners. They strenghten the focial connections, and promote friendly intercourse among those who are in the fame neighbourhood, and in the fame lines of life. It must at the fame time, be agreeable to every humane mind to think, that one day in feven is allotted for reft to the poor from their daily labours, XI. SER M. bours, and for such enjoyments of ease and comfort as their ftation affords. It is the only day which gives them occafion to feel themselves as belonging to the fame clafs of beings with their fuperiors; when joining with them in the fame acts of worship, and recognizing a common Lord. Amidst those diftinctions which the difference of ranks neceffarily introduces into human society, it is furely fit that there be fome occafions when man can meet with man as a brother, in order that the pride of the great may be checked; and the low may be taught that, if they discharge properly their appointed part, they have reafon to expect, from the Lord of the univerfe, the fame rewards with the rich and the mighty. It will, I believe, be generally admitted that forms of public worship, and means of religious instruction, are impor-- · tant, on several accounts, for the body of the people, and belong to the maintenance of public fafety and order. But many who admit this are apt to think, that that to the common people alone they S ER M. may be left. To perfons of liberal XI. education and enlarged minds, what benefit can arise from hearing what they already know; and what, perhaps, is to be inculcated on them by thofe who are of inferior capacity to themselves?Admitting this plea of fuperiority which their vanity forms, and fetting aside for the present any personal obligation they are under to worship God, I must ask fuch perfons, how they can expect that religious affemblies will be long refpected by the lower ranks of men, if by men of rank and education they are dif countenanced and forfaken? Do not they know, that those lower ranks are ready to copy the manners, and to follow the example of their fuperiors in all things; but affuredly in nothing more than in what appears to fet them free from reftraint, and to gratify licentioufnefs? While they acknowledge the importance, and even the neceffity, of public religion to certain claffes of men, do they, nevertheless, contribute by their behaviour |