objects, and the manner of worship, little care was taken. The magiftrate gave his authority to the current belief, though ever so abfurd and ridiculous, and established that form of religion which the people were beft difpofed to receive. It was thought fufficient, if by public and folemn acts of piety, a sense of Deity, and feelings of religion, could be impreffed, and frequently renewed in the minds of men. But in fome nations this practice, fo highly beneficial to mankind, was enjoined by an authority fuperior to that of human governors. God himself, in the fyftem of laws which he delivered to his ancient people, hallowed the seventh day, and appointed other festivals in which the people fhould affemble together, in order to join in the services of the fanctuary. In what concerns the celebration of the Sabbath, Chriftianity confirms the Mofaic law. Our Saviour, whofe practice ought to be a rule of life to Chriftians, attended upon the public worship in the Jewish fynagogues; and the Apostles followed his example, till by their labours in the ministry, they had gathered together in one place, a fufficient number

number of converts to form a church. Then they conftituted regular affemblies of Christians, they ordained proper persons to prefide in the public worship, and both by their precept and example, recommended a conftant attendance on these meetings of the faithful.

That there must be an established religion in every state, is a principle in which not only Chriftians, but infidels, have been agreed. In order that the public religion may be productive of any good effects, it is necessary that it make a deep impression upon the minds of the people. But if it were not for our affembling together on the Lord's day, for public worship, that form of Chriftianity which is established in this country would perhaps take too feeble a hold of the mind, to produce its proper effects. The Chriftian religion is very different from those systems of fuperftition which prevailed in the Pagan world. The Heathen religion had attractions for every feeling of the human frame.. It contained every thing that could strike the fenfes, or please the imaginations of men. All

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All the apparatus of falfe religion, which at once amuses and engages the mind, was exhibited ceremonies, pompous festivals, coftly facrifices were continually paffing before the eyes of the worshipper. In the majesty of the temple, and the splendour of the worship, the Deity feemed to be prefent. Ancient fuperftition introduced the fine arts into her train, called the powers of genius to her aid, and employed the painter and the poet to hold out her charms to the world.

Very different was that religion of which Jefus Chrift was the author. When the Son of God defcended, he appeared not like the idols of the nations. The Chriftian religion is pure, spiritual, divine. It is the religion of the mind and the heart; the worship of God, who is a Spirit, in spirit and in truth. There is nothing here but the fimplicity of truth and the majefty of reason to perfuade the world. Man, however, is not a pure intelligence, and reafon is not the only attribute of his nature. Were it not, therefore, for the mode of communication by difcourfe in public. affemblies,

men,

affemblies, Chriftianity, in its fimpleft form, could never be a popular religion. It might employ the leisure of philofophic it might operate its effect upon the few who are given to enquiry; but it never could engage the generality of mankind. They who have not confidered the fubject, cannot poffibly conceive the aftonishing difference that there is between written and fpoken language; between the dead letter that appears to the eye, and the living voice that comes to the heart. The fame discourse that in a popular affembly would raise the passions of the audience to the highest pitch, fend it abroad in print, and it will often have no effect at all. Add to these, that it is to the meetings of the faithful, that the promise of the divine prefence is made. In the gates of Zion God delights to dwell; and when his difciples are gathered together, Jefus has promised to be in the midft of them. True piety indeed is not confined to the fanctuary. High is the pleasure, and great the benefit of private devotion. But fure I am, that they who have entered into the spi

rit, and tafted the pleasures of devotion in secret, will not be thereby prevented from approaching to God in the ordinances of public worship. Society heightens every feeling, and improves every delight. All that charms the eye or the ear, or the imagination or the heart, is attended with double pleasure, when we share it in the company of others. In the presence of striking and exemplary piety, the careless worshipper will become devout, and the devout will become fervent. A holy emulation will rife in the bofoms of the faithful: the ardour will spread from breaft to breaft, and the paffions of one inflame the paffions of all. May I not appeal to your own experience, and afk, When you have been in the spirit on the Lord's day, when the word of life was fpoken from the heart to the heart, have you not felt that there was a divinity in virtue, have you not found yourselves as if tranflated from earth to heaven, and experienced the emotion of mind which the Patriarch felt, when he awoke from his dream, and cried out in rapture, "Surely "the Lord is in this place! This is none

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