obviated by having the service at an early hour, before the business of the day has commenced. Such an arrangement would soon be found to exercise a most beneficial influence on the habits of persons in these classes of society; and would conduce more even to their success in their worldly affairs than many may be prepared to believe. But, surely, it is hard to imagine any thing more likely to bring about a restoration of primitive piety than such a daily consecration of this world's cares and duties. And, undoubtedly, it is the duty of the clergy to take every method in their power, which can tend to facilitate the attendance of those, who are desirous of frequenting the house of God, or who may be induced to unite with the daily devotions of the Church, if only their religious duties can be performed at a more suitable hour.

But how many are there, who have no necessity for being absent except what exists in their own imaginations! How many are there, whose business would go on just as well as it does at present, if not

better, did they spend some part of every day in His presence, without whose blessing, He himself forewarns you, "it is but lost labour that ye haste to rise up early, and so late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness

Surely, it has been well said, that "all who sincerely devote themselves to his service, need never fear losing any thing by leaving their shops or houses for awhile to go to church, the house of God. But they should rather be confident, and rest fully satisfied in their minds, that as they go thither to wait upon Him, and to do the work that He hath set them; so He, according to His word, will come unto them, and will bless them. He will bless them in their going out, and in their coming in; He will bless them in their basket and in their store; He will bless them in their callings that they may be sure to get what is needful for them; and He will bless what they have so gotten, both to themselves and families. This they may truly

promise themselves, for God himself hath promised it; and therefore they may well rejoice and be glad at all opportunities they can get of going into the house of the Lord'." But, even if the case were otherwise, what can the excuses ordinarily adduced amount to beyond this, that these disciples of Jesus Christ, being called to make an election between God and Mammon, have made their choice; and sooner than hazard the losing, or rather the possibility of not gaining, some of the riches of this world, are contented to peril the happiness of heaven, and to stint and starve their immortal souls of the daily nourishment, which the God of grace and mercy has provided for their growth and sustenance. So it is. Sure as the sun rises to shine upon the evil and the good, the heavenly invitation is pronounced.

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Come, for all things are now ready." But all with one consent begin to make The bread that came down from

excuse.

1

1 Bp. Beveridge, Sermon on the Advantages of Public Worship. Works, Vol. III. p. 535. Lond. 1824.

heaven is spread before them. The Spirit and the bride call on them to come and take the water of life freely. But the summons falls unheeded on their ears. They make light of it, and go their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise '.

Although, however, many may at present be prevented by real necessity from attending the daily service of the church; and many more, it is to be feared, imagine that they are so prevented, who yet could, if they would, steal some few moments from the business or idleness of life to pass in the house of God; yet, it is not from the absence of either or both of these classes of persons I draw any conclusion regarding the spiritual condition of the church. My conclusions are drawn from the conduct of those who have leisure, and who do not allege the want of leisure as an excuse for their absence. My conclusions are drawn from the fact, that those who not only have time to spend in religious duties, but profess (and no doubt without any

intentional insincerity) to love and value the services of the church, do prefer attending the instruction of any teacher whatever, though destitute not less of education than authority, to uniting with the minister of their own church in offering up the sacrifice of prayer and praise. It must be obvious to the most inadvertent observer, that what attracts the generality of religious persons to our services, is, neither the liturgy, nor the reading of the Holy Scriptures, but the preacher. Where there is a sermon, there will be a congregation:-I grieve to add-and no where else. And not merely this. Let there be a religious meeting, or a religious lecture, held in this city on a week day, and it is certain to be attended by numbers. Why, then, should not the service of the church be equally attractive? If the answer to this were, that those who preferred religious exercises of another sort had conscientious scruples to use our liturgy, we could infer nothing from the fact of their absence. But, as those who do absent themselves, will, almost without exception, profess