of

the intercourfe and communications Christian friendship? In the unbofoming of genuine and tried pious friendship, are pleafures and advantages peculiarly precious and exquifite. "As iron fharpeneth iron, fo "does the countenance of a friend his friend." They are eminently to each other what the Scripture is to us all, " profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for in"struction in righteousness, that the man of GOD," the truly pious, may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

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THE pious exercises of devout retirement, or of the closet, and the communications of facred friendship, do not fuperfede or leffen veneration for public worship; the private means and helps of devotion do not interfere with the ordinances of God's houfe; do not produce the indifference and self-sufficiency of fpiritual pride, or the affectation of, "Stand by, I am holier than thou."

TRUE piety affuredly forms itself upon the Scripture, upon its rules, and upon its patterns; it regards the authority of God; it recognises the wifdom and goodness of the

GOD of Ifrael; it perceives the manifold grace and wisdom of the GOD and Father of the LORD JESUS CHRIST; it acknowledges and honours JESUS CHRIST the great Head and King of his Church; the truly pious, therefore, will not "forfake the affembling "themselves together," will hallow the Sabbath, will unite in prayer and praise, will feparate themfelves from the world of the irreligious, will witness against them by affuming and wearing the distinguishing badges of the Chriftian, will contribute to the preferving of the knowledge and honour of the revelations of GOD, and to the tranfmitting them entire to pofterity, by celebrating the ordinances of GOD. See how highly public worship, and the inftitutions of religion, were prized in ancient times. "As the hart pant"eth after water brooks, in a dry and parched "land where no water is, my foul thirfteth "for Gon, the living GOD; when fhall I

come and appear before GOD? How ami"able are thy tabernacles! my foul longeth,

yea even fainteth for the courts of the "LORD; my heart and my flesh crieth out "for the living GOD: Bleffed are they who "dwell in thy houfe; they will be still praif

ing thee: A day in thy courts is better “than a thousand," &c. Confider what reviving promises are made to the worshippers. of GOD: "In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will "bless thee: Where two or three are gather"ed together in my name, there am I in the "midst of them: I will make them joyful in

my house of prayer," &c. Let me only add, that if the faints felt fuch vehement defires and rapturous joys, under a darker difpenfation, refpecting a fervice which confifted much in types, and figures, and fhadows; through which, at a distance, were feen the perfect day and fubftantial bleffings of the Gospel, fo early promised, so splendidly described, fo earnestly longed for; could they, without delight and joy, have heard the invitation, "Let us go up to worship him, to "make his praise glorious?" The truly pious Christian rejoices when it is faid, Keep the holy festival; he enters GOD's courts with joy.

2. I OBSERVED, That religious and devout affections and fentiments, are discovered in the frequency of the exercises of piety.

It is a conceivable thing, that fome who are truly pious may employ too much time in religious exercises, and return fo frequently to the offices of devotion, public and private, as to overlook, or to perform very imperfectly, the duties of life. It must be allowed, that with much warmth of heart, there may be weaknefs and indifcretion. The over-abundant in religious exercises do not fo readily perceive their right-hand error, which is noticed and published, with exultation and contempt, by the irreligious. This is not the error or extreme of the present times. We have feldom any occafion of guarding our hearers against being employed overmuch in the exercises of devotion. We have much reafon to recommend regular, and constant, and habitual devotion. The truly pious will hear the exhortation, Let not the example of the world, of the cold and formal; let not the fophiftry of the irreligious, nor the banter of the profane; let not the fuggeftions of floth, or of pride, or of felf-fufficiency and fecurity, reconcile you to fuffer any length of time to pass without holy meditation, without the pouring out of the heart before God, without celebrating the ordi

nances

nances of GOD, and extolling the LORD together.

We do not pretend to fay how often a pious perfon ought to be employed in immediate acts of devotion, nor what portion of time is effential to worship. You will permit me, however, to obferve, that more time may be employed in religious exercifes, in perfect consistency with prudence, and all the duties of life being properly performed, than is fo bestowed by many. "Every day will I bless "thee," fays the Pfalmift; and fays the pious of every age," As oft as I rife in the morn"ing I will publish thy loving kindness, and

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thy faithfulness every night." As every LORD's day returns, I will keep the day to the LORD, repair to his courts, and celebrate his ordinances. Bleffings and afflictions, duties and infirmities, dangers and deliverances, and all the varieties of his difpenfations, fhall remind me of my GOD, with the confeffions, and fupplications, and thanksgivings, and joys of his children. Such is the language, and purpose, and practice of a piety that is genuine, and becomes more and more confirmed, and habitual, and joyful

For, 3. GENUINE