tions of authority, in such points as are in their own nature lawful and indifferent, might, one would think, be fufficient to determine the conduct of all difpaffionate understanding men: The precept of doing all things in the church decently and in order, carrying with it a latitude; wherein if each private perfon was allowed to judge for himself, the very rule might as well be inverted. But if the outward homage, or adoration of the body be required, much more the inward esteem and reverence of the heart. The admonition is comparative"Be more ready to hear than to give facrifice"-" to obey the voice of the Lord, than to come before him with the multitude of oblations." And that, because all bodily worship, unless animated by a spirit of devotion, is lifeless and unavailing; or, in the language of Solomon, the facrifice of fools. The The affection fanctifies the rite, however indifferent in itfelf, if not unlawful: But there is not virtue enough in a thoufand burnt-offerings, to prevail with the Almighty, without the recommendation of a holy will without a mind duly impreffed and actuated by the love of God and love of Man. We have it indeed delivered in complaint of the generality of the Jews, that they rested satisfied with their ritual obfervances. And fomewhat like this may perhaps be the fault of too many Christians. But as he only was a Jew, who was one inwardly; in like manner do the iffues of a Chriftian life proceed only from the heart. Men may affemble in the publick places of worship, and edify not, if they have more itching ears than willing minds-they may carnally and vifibly prefs with their teeth the facrament of Christ's body and blood, and yet not not be partakers of Chrift; but rather to their condemnation eat and drink the sign of fo great a thing, unless they come to that heavenly feast in the marriage-garment of Faith and Charity— they may ask and receive not; if they ask amifs, that they may confume it upon their lufts. It is therefore of great moment that we come fitly prepared, when we prefent ourselves in the Houfe of God: That House, wherein we, who are but duft and ashes, are admitted to a bleffed intercourse, a kind of folemn familiarity with our Maker. For though He, unto whom all things are naked and open, is not extreme to mark the failings of our nature, thofe inadvertencies and wanderings of imagination, which interfere more or less with every one's devotion; yet yet to tread his Courts with an undiftinguishing foot, and to offer him only the calves of our lips, without the facrifice of the heart, is to profane his Temple, and affront his Majesty. In a word-Whereas the Church of Christ on Earth is a vifible Society, and as fuch confifts of an outward Profeffion and vifible Communion, hence arifes the expediency of having perfons, places, and times, fet apart for the publick exercises of Religion: To the end that the worship of the people, which must needs be external, may be orderly alfo and beautiful. And feeing all other things receive a dignity proportioned to the end whereunto they ferve; in a like manner do thofe that are appropriated to the fervice of God, derive a more than ordinary comliness and worth from the facred ufes for which they are diftinguished. Hence that exprefs injunction-" Ye shall keep my Sabbath, and reverence my Sanctuary-I am the Lord." Where, by reverencing the Sanctuary, or, as in my text, the House of God, let us by no means entertain any fond and fuperftitious notion of the place or fabrick how great and folemn foever it may chance to be; but a reverential respect toward his awful prefence, who is the Lord of the Temple, and toward the facred offices performed in it. A reverence, in fhort, of the whole man-of a foul abstracted from the vanity of the world, the cares of life, and every carnal affection and fixed upon the only object of it's happinefs-of a body testifying by all decent and manly behaviour the fincerity of the heart; thereby too promoting com ; mon |