that time, were not mistaken about the object of worship: (ver. 24.) " And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him; Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."

And if the Jews were right in this great point, in our Saviour's time; they are still so. For the strict unity of God is a fundamental point with them; and the body of their people, in their dispersion in various countries, now for seventeen hundred years, have kept invariably to it.

This may be seen in their liturgy, or book of public prayer, which you often meet with, printed in English and Hebrew, and is used by them all over this part of the world: in which it is most obvious that they worship none other but one, the God of their fathers. And the book begins with thirteen articles of their belief, two of which are: that God is the Creator of the universe, and that he is one, no unity like his; and, that he alone hath been, is, and shall be, eternally their God.

There is then no other God but the one Jehovah he, whom the Jews worshiped in our Saviour's time, and whom our Saviour himself

himself worshiped: and whom the Jews now worship in common with us Christians; the God that made the world; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God of the chil dren of Israel; the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; the God and father of all mankind.

III.

But the justest and most accurate conceptions of the Divine Being are of little value, unless they lead to suitable practical regards towards him. They may, as every thing that is most excellent, do harm, and mislead from God and goodness, where men pride themselves in being wiser than others, and think themselves better men, more acceptable to God for this their fancied superiority.

Hence that remark which is not seldom made in our days, That the more rational Christians grow in their religion, the less of religion and piety appears in their life and conversation.

This, certainly, cannot be a true account of the thing, however the fact itself may stand in some instances. For light and knowledge are certainly a natural means, and help to pious and virtuous practice. Therefore, when

when those who have emerged out of a state of darkness and many errors, into more perfect sentiments of God and his truth, do, nevertheless, desert the truth, and less delight to walk in it than in the days of their ignorance, it is not owing to their religion becoming more rational, but to their abandoning, together with their former superstitious notions, the devout and holy exercises which were connected with them, and without which no true piety can subsist: and this is followed by the want of a proportionable holy vigilance over themselves; making too free with the ways of the world, and letting it take too strong hold of them. This will be found to be the case, where rational sentiments of God and a suitable pious life do not hand in hand and keep pace with each other.

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But it may be a useful monitor to all, in the great subject before us; that, as we believe in one God over all, blessed for ever; who is ever present with, and sustains the thing that he has made; of wisdom and power infinite; perfectly holy, just, and good; and who has given suitable powers, and requires his rational offspring to become therein like

unto

unto himself; to be careful to live under becoming impressions of the regard › owe to him:

That the contemplation of his all-perfect nature, in whom is united every thing that is amiable, venerable, and excellent, may inspire us with humility and reverence before him, and an earnest desire after things excellent and holy, that we may be approved by him: that our continual intercourse with him by prayer and thanksgiving, and sense of our dependence upon him, may fill us with serenity and cheerfulness under all the vicissitudes of this mor tal

state, and may excite and enable us to act our several parts with firmness and integrity; and so as may be most lastingly beneficial and serviceable to each other, in the concerns of this world and of that which is to come.

IV.

Lastly, It behoves us to make open profession of our belief in the one only living and true God, as our Saviour did here, and upon all other occasions.

We particularly find him always, in the synagogues and at the temple, attending the public worship of Almighty God, and the interpretations

terpretations of the prophetic writings. He never failed, that we know of, in the attendance on the public worship of Jehovah, the heavenly Father of all, on the Sabbath-day. He certainly would not have attended where any other person but Jehovah, the Father of all, was prayed to and worshiped. As his disciples, if we think with him, it deserves our most serious consideration, when we shall answer it to him the appointed judge, if we neglect this public worship of God, or if we do not bear our testimony to him alone, and worship any other.

This owning and worship of God at stated times, in public, in the congregation of our fellow-creatures, is one of those most useful expedients, by which the knowledge of God is kept up in the world; especially when intermixed with interpretations of the word of God, and exhortations to righteousness. And it would seem, that none can customarily neglect these assemblies, who have virtue and piety at heart, but will delight in promoting the public honour and worship of God,

Our Saviour requires us to make open profession of our faith in him, in which is included our belief and acknowledgement of the Father,

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