ceptions to the too general example already set, not only by the lower orders, but by legislators, magistrates, and other honourable, nay, sacred, characters among us, of making the Lord's day a season for bu siness, recreation, sloth, or indulgence; then it may be apprehended, we shall be ripe for national judgments.. For if God hath a right to appoint what proportion of our time shall be sanctified; if he hath reserved this day for himself; and if we, as a nation, professing to. be his people, unite in refusing to comply with his appointment; what can we expect; but to be given up to our own delusions; till we become monuments of his awful vengeance?

It may be proper, under this head, to mention publick worship more particularly; as the indolence of the carnal mind and its aversion to religion, have lately been soothed by an attempt to prove that it is no part of a christian's duty. It has been here taken for granted, or rather inferred from the scriptures that relate to the hallowing of the Lord's day, that one design of the institution is, to give all men, (as far as it is regarded,) leisure to attend on publiek worship and the preaching of the gospel. Many are able to avail themselves of such opportunities at other times; and it is a good thing to be so employed, when not-prevented by duties of another kind. But if the Lord's day were duly sanctified, all who had health, might, at some times, have these advantages. Private devotion is indeed absolutely requisite to maintain the life of piety in the soul, and ought to be constantly practised: but publick religion peculiarly honours God, and keeps up the remembrance of his authority, perfec.

tions, and works, and of our relations and obligations to him: it is the grand means of diffusing piety more widely; it constitutes that tribute of adoration and gratitude, which the Lord requires of us, in the presence of our fellow-creatures: and as we are social beings susceptible of sympathy, so the view of numbers apparently animated with devout affections, has a powerful tendency to excite and invigorate them in our own hearts, and the example of esteemed characters has extensive good effects: whilst what passes in publick worship gives the judicious parent, or head of a family, the occasion and subject of instructing his household also.

In every way, therefore, the assembling of ourselves together, to hear the word of God, and to unite in adoring his glorious name, is necessary to the cxistence of true piety in the world: and were this entirely laid aside, (as it is at present to an alarming degree,) we might confidently prognosticate the universal prevalence of ignorance, impiety, infidelity, and vice.

Publick worship, in one form or other, has undeniably constituted a part of true religion, in every age; and surely all serious and impartial persons will allow it to be reasonable that our great Creator and Benefactor should require us openly to adore his name, thank him for his goodness, and avow our entire dependence on him in all things, and that we should delight in meeting together for these important ends. They, therefore, who refuse to join statedly with his congregations, in rendering him the tribute which he justly claims; and they who draw nigh to him with

their lips, when their hearts are far from him, are alike guilty of robbing him of the glory due unto him.

VI. The Sovereign of the universe hath a right to appoint his own vicegerents. He uses two principal means in governing mankind. His spiritual law has authority over the conscience, and takes cognizance of the thoughts and intentions of the heart, and numbers of those actions, which human laws cannot reach; and its sanctions chiefly relate to the future and eternal world: but civil government and human laws, have authority over the outward conduct, in those things that relate to the welfare of society; and their sanctions are wholly of a temporal kind.

Whether we study the book of reason, or that of revelation, we must allow that civil government is the ordinance of God, for the punishment of evil doers, and the protection and praise of those that do well: and when we duly reflect how he accomplishes his purposes by instruments and second causes, as well as by an immediate interposition, we shall perceive, that the existing government, and the persons actually established in authority in any country, are as really appointed by him, as they were in Israel, when Moses, Joshua, or Samuel, were the rulers, or when the kingdom was conferred on David and his family. The manner in which the choice is notified differs, but the same great Sovereign still selects his own vicege

rents.

An inconceivable variety of circumstances and events have concurred, through many generations, in bringing every man to his particular situation in the community, antecedent to his own choice and con

duct. Thus some find themselves called to goveru, and are invested with authority; not through their own usurpation or circumvention, but in the regular course of human affairs, which cannot be altered without violent convulsions: and unless the state of things be very bad, such changes rarely conduce to the common benefit. But if we also remember that the Lord directs and determines all these contingencies; we shall readily perceive that rulers, in every settled form of government, (however it were at first established,) are appointed by him, and accountable to him.

It is indeed allowable and proper, by equitable precautions, to restrain men from abusing authority, on the same principle by which we obviate the danger of a famine or a pestilence: and when such prudent limitations become a part of the established form of government, they are to be considered as "the ordi"nance of God," equally with the other constitutions to which they are united. But in all ordinary cases at least, we are bound to submit to his authority, by obeying magistrates for his sake; and to honour him, by shewing them all civil respect according to his word. This will become easy and pleasant to us, in proportion to the degree in which we reverence, love, and adore him, as our Sovereign Lord and most liberal Benefactor, to whom we are bound by every obligation, to be obedient and submissive in all things.

The same reasoning is equally conclusive, in respect of all the other subordinations in society, in domestick life, and in the church of God. Superiors, seniors, parents, husbands, masters, persons of emi

nent wisdom and piety, and faithful ministers, are entrusted with different proportions of the Lord's authority: He is obeyed, and honoured, when a scriptural deference, submission, and respect are rendered to them; the contrary conduct, in the inferior relation, is rebellion against both his providence and his commandment: and those speculations which militate against this regular subordination, tend directly to "confusion and every evil work."

VII. The Lord hath a right to superintend, alter, or suspend, as he sees good, those laws of nature,' which arise from the general operations of second causes. Many frivolous objections have been made to the scriptural doctrine of Providence, and of the efficacy of prayer, in such things as depend on an established, and supposed inviolable, connexion of causes and effects. But is it not most unreasonable to consider this general course of things as necessary and immutable? No doubt the Creator communicated and continues to every pårt of his work, its peculiar powers, properties, and situation in the system; and superintends the whole with infinite wisdom and omnipotent energy.

No miracle is required, in order to determine the efficacy of second causes, in any particular manner, according to the wants and prayers of pious persons. It is not commonly thought to be any deviation from the general laws of nature, when one region is fertilized by moderate showers, another wasted with inundations, and a third visited with drought: yet will any rational man pretend, that such events are not ap-pointed and effected by the sovereign will and power