as to have no calls to public prayer, however a fenfe of religion might be preferved a while by a few speculative men, yet that the bulk of mankind would lofe all knowledge of it, and in time live without GoD in the world.Not that private prayer is the less our duty, the contrary of which is proved above; and our Saviour fays, that when we pray to GOD in fecret, we shall be rewarded openly;-but that prayers which are publicly offered up in God's house, tend more to the glory of GoD, and the benefit of ourselves:for this reason, that they are prefumed to be performed with greater attention and feriousness, and therefore most likely to be heard with a more favourable acceptance. -And for this, one might appeal to every man's breast, whether he has not been affected with the most elevated pitch of devotion, when he gave thanks in the great congregation of the faints, and praised GOD amongst much people? Of this united worship there is a glorious defcription which St. John

gives us, in the Revelations, where he fupposes the whole universe joining together, in their several capacities, to give glory in this manner to their common Lord. Every creature which was in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and fuch as were in the feas, and all that were in them, heard I, crying, -Bleffing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that fitteth upon the throne.

But here it may be asked, that if public worship tends fo much to promote the glory of GoD,-and is what is fo indifpenfably the duty and benefit of every christian ftate,how came it to pass, that our bleffed Saviour left not command to his followers, throughout the gospel, to fet up public places of worship, and keep them facred for that purpose?It may be answered,—that the neceffity of setting apart places for divine worship, and the holiness of them when thus fet apart, feemed already to have been fo well established by former revelation, as not to need any exprefs

precept upon that fubject:-for though the particular appointment of the temple, and the confinement of worship to that place alone, were only temporary parts of the Jewish covenant; yet the neceffity and duty of having places fomewhere folemnly dedicated to GOD carried a moral reason with it, and therefore was not abolished with the ceremonial part of the law.-Our Saviour came not to destroy, but to fulfil the law;-and therefore the moral precepts of it, which promoted a due regard to the divine Majefty, remained in as full force as ever. And accordingly we find it attested, both by chriftian and heathen writers, that fo foon as the fecond century, when the number of believers was much increased, and the circumstances of rich converts enabled them to do it, -that they began to erect edifices for divine worship;—and though, under the frowns and oppreffion of the civil power, they every Sabbath affembled themselves therein, that with one heart and one lip they might declare whofe they were, and

whom they served, and, as the fervants of one Lord, might offer up their joint prayers and petitions.

I wish there was no reason to lament an abatement of this religious zeal amongst chriftians of later days.Though the piety of our forefathers feems, in a great measure, to have deprived us of the merit of building churches for the fervice of GOD, there can be no fuch plea for not frequenting them in a regular and folemn manner. -How often do people abfent themfelves (when in the utmost distress how to difpofe of themselves) from church, even upon those days which are set apart for nothing else but the worship of GOD; -when, to trifle that day away, or apply any portion of it to fecular concerns, is a facrilege almoft in the literal fenfe of the word.

From this duty of public prayer arises another, which I cannot help speaking of, it being fo dependant upon it;-I mean a serious, devout, and respectful behaviour, when we are performing this

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folemn duty in the house of GOD.This is furely the leaft that can be neceffary in the immediate prefence of the Sovereign of the world, upon whofe acceptance of our addreffes all our prefent and future happiness depends.

External behaviour is the refult of inward reverence, and is therefore part of our duty to GOD, whom we are to worship in body as well as fpirit.

And as no one should be wanting in outward respect and decorum before an earthly prince or fuperior, much less fhould we be fo before him, whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain.

Notwithstanding the obvioufness of this branch of duty,-it seems often to be little understood;-and whoever will take a general furvey of church behaviour, will often meet with scenes of fad variety. What a vein of indolence and indevotion fometimes feems to run throughout whole congregations !-what ill-timed pains do fome take in putting on an air of gaiety and indifference in the most interesting parts of this duty,