and domeftics, they must be much more frequent. There are fo many things around us to cool and extinguish the flame of piety, that daily feuel is requifite to preferve and cherish it. As there is no day in which a family hath not bleffings to afk or to acknowledge, this ought to be a stated employment of every day. Some close the day with family-devotion. So far they do well; but if they would begin the day in the fame manner, it would be still better. It is highly fit, that a family of Christians should unite in acknowledging the mercies of the night, and in imploring the divine guidance and protection through the day. It may have the moft powerful influence in blunting the edge of temptation, in giving a proper direction to their minds under the viciffitudes of life, and in preparing them for a vigorous and fuccefsful discharge of the active duties, for which the day is intended. The fame reafons which eftablish the propriety of fecret prayer morning and evening, may be urged for equal frequency in familyworship.

UPON the whole, I intreat all mafters of families in this affembly, to comply with the duty now recommended. I can fuggest no argu ments more powerful to excite you to the practice of it. If you have hitherto neglected this duty, and are now fenfible of its obligations, make no delay in acting fuitably to your convictions. Pay no regard to the maxims or customs

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customs of the world, when they interfere with the dictates of religion, and the eternal interefts of your family.

As for you who worship God in your families, I beseech you to perform the duties of fuch a religious profeffion with frequency and ferioufnefs. Do not confider them merely as decent ufages, recommended by the advice and example of your parents, but as a reasonable and profitable service. Above all, be careful to live fuitably to your high character and profeffion; wound not the religion you profefs, by inconfiftency of conduct; give not the world occafion to reproach you with intemperance, dishonesty in your dealings, or any finful indulgence, though a worshipper of God in your family; remember that the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, efpecially when offered with a wicked mind, as a cloak to their fins, or a peace-offering for the omiffion of the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith. There cannot be more deliberate impiety, or a groffer perverfion of every worthy principle, than fuch a conduct indicates. The moft awful judgements are threatened in the word of God, and fhall certainly be inflicted, on thofe who are chargeable with fuch prefumptuous guilt. "But we hope better things of you, "and things that accompany falvation, though "we thus fpeak." Let the purity of your manners recommend you, and the religion you profefs, to all around you. Strive to be VOL. III. equally

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equally exemplary for pious and focial duties; there is an infeparable connection between them : "He that hath clean hands, and a

pure heart, who hath not lift up his foul "unto vanity, nor fworn deceitfully; he fhall "receive the bleffing from the Lord, and righteoufnefs from the God of his falvation."

SER

SERMON III.

The reasonableness and neceffity of Public Worship.

By ROBERT PETRIE, V. D. M.

Preached before the fynod of Dumfries, at Dumfries, October 11. 1743.

HEB. xiii. 15. 16. 17.

But

By him therefore let us offer the facrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. to do good, and to communicate, forget not s for with fuch facrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that have the rule over you, and fubmit yourselves.

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LL mankind are agreed in this first prin

ciple of natural religion, That there is a God; which implies not only the notion of existence, but alfo of intelligence, power, wifdom, and especially dominion. For if God governs not the world, it is much the fame to us whether he exifts or not: but if our lives are in his hand; if he upholds all things by his power, and exercises an immediate and abfolute authority over all nature; it is of the last importance to us to know what regards

are due to him from fuch creatures as we are, and to behave towards him in fuch a manner as we have ground to believe he will approve of.

Now when we conceive God as a being of infinite perfection, and the Sovereign Lord of the universe, we are naturally infpired with efteem and reverence; with a defire of his favour, and a dread of his difpleafure: and to exprefs thefe fentiments and affections by certain actions directed immediately towards him, is divine worship.

d;

That we should in this manner acknowledge him, and own our dependence upon him, feems to be the voice of the whole world: for there fcarce ever was a nation, where men have not, fome way or other, declared their fense of the being and providence of God and where-ever they have been joined together in a common public intereft, there alfo inftitutions of public worship have been established and therefore, from the general con. fent and practice of all men in all ages, we may be allowed to infer, That, to worship God publicly, together with the fociety to which we belong, is another principle of natural religion.

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Before life and immortality were brought to light by the Son of God, public worship confifted chiefly in certain myfterious rites, but efpecially in offering beafts in facrifice; a cuftom which univerfally prevailed almoft over the whole earth, and which, by the aftonish