bodies fhall be raifed from the grave, at the laft day, and reunited to their fouls. Our Churches then, you find, are holy places devoted to GOD; and therefore all perfons ought to come to them with reverence. When we fet our feet in the House of GOD, we should confider the majesty of that Great Being, to whom this place is dedicated; and fhould remember, that GOD is faid to be more im mediately present in all thofe places which are confecrated to Him; that when we tread his courts, we go to meet Him there, and truft He will not only fee, but hear us. And if we expect to meet the Great GOD in Church, when we appear to offer up our devotions to Him, we ought to behave there with seriousness and folemnity; we ought to do nothing, which may difcover that we are off our guard, and not intent on the business which we are about. If any behave irreverently in Church, they are guilty of profaneness, and treat the Great God with disrespect. Perfons who do this, offer an affront to the Divine Majefty, whilft they profess to worship Him in this place. You may observe, that Chriftians, when they firft come into Church, appear as though they were faying some prayer to themfelves and fo every one ought to do. As foon as we enter into the House of GOD, we should beg GOD to make us intent on, and mindful f, the great business we are going upon. Some perfons, it is to be feared, fay nothing, but ufe this as a mere matter of form; others kneel down, and fay the LOR!

A 6

LORD's Prayer to themselves; while others use a proper prayer which they have learned. You, who as yet have learned but little, may say to yourselves a very fhort prayer, when you first come to Church, fuch as this: " Prepare, O GOD, my heart to pray to Thee, and make me mind what I shall here be taught, for JESUS CHRIST's fake." They who are better inftructed, yet have not another form, may learn this fhort prayer: "LORD, I am now in thy boufe; affift, I pray Thee, and accept of my fervices ; enable me, this day, to worship Thee with due reverence and devotion; help all my infirmities, and let me improve this opportunity to the honour of thy name, and the benefit of my foul, through Jefus Christ our LORD." Or this form: "Almighty and merciful GOD, of whofe only gift it cometh, that thy people do unto Thee true and laudable frvice; grant, I beseech Thee, that I may join in the prayers of thy Church with reverence and devotion, bear thy word with attention, and obediently follow the fame; that, my thoughts and defires being fixed on Thee, the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, may now and ever be acceptable in thy fight, O LORD, my Saviour and Redeemer." When you have begged GOD to make you ferious and de vout, endeavour to compofe your thoughts, and keep them from wandering; and when the Minifter begins the service, join with him in those parts o it directed for the congregation; and at the conclu fion of every prayer, fay fervently AMBN ; which * Pfalm xix. 14

fignifics

fignifies, So let it be, GOD, as we have prayed. When he reads the leffons, attend to them; and remember that the Bible, from which they are taken, is the Book of Gop; which all Chriflians ought to know and when he is preaching to, or admonishing you, give good heed to what he fays. In this manner you ought to think and act when you come to Church, that a bleffing may attend the devotions offered by you in this place.

And when the fervice of the Church is over, and you are about to depart from God's fanctuary, you may filently beg Him to accept the prayers which you have offered up; making ufe of this fhort petition to yourselves: "Good LORD, grant that what I have this day heard may turn to my good, and make

me better. Amen." Thofe among you who are better taught, may fay," O LORD, mercifully receive thofe prayers which I have at this time offered to Thee, and let thy word take deep root in my heart: be pleafed to pardon those imperfections that have accompanied my weak performances; increase in me true Religion; nourish me with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep me in the fame, through Jefus Christ our LORD. Amen."

*

We should all confider what we are to do before Church, at Church, and after Church. Before Church, our hearts should be prepared to pray; we fhould compofe our minds, and think that we are going into the prefence of the GREAT GOD. * Collect for ninth Sunday after Trinity.

At Church we should behave decently and reverently, and join attentively with the Minister and congregation. It would be well if those who can read would bring their Prayer-books with them, to engage their attention, and keep their eyes from wandering. And after Church, we fhould confider to whom we have been praying, and what are the mercies we have prayed for. This will lead to a ferious and lafting improvement: they who can read will do well to take up fome good book when they go home, and not suppose that we take leave of religion when we leave the Church; for, if we expect religion will fland by us in the next world; it must conftantly attend us in this. What I have now faid, I hope will prepare you rightly to accept, and duly to profit by, the inftructions, which I defign, with GOD's help, hereafter to give you: and if you are as willing to learn as I am defirous to teach you, I hope that, by our own happy experience, we fhalĮ find our fatisfaction mutually increase, and that your improvement in grace and holiness hath kept pace with my anxious defire to promote your happiness in this world, as well as in that which is to come.

LEC

LECTURE I.

OF GOD'S UNIVERSAL MERCY.

Acts, Chap. x. Ver. 84, 35.

God is no respecter of perfons; but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.

My beloved Brethren,

I AM glad to meet you here, in this house of GOD; and I hope and believe you come with a good design to be instructed by me, in what will be of fervice to you in this world, and direct you to eternal happiness in a better. I shall take pleasure in giving you the best advice I can; and shall speak to you in the easiest and plainest manner, that you may all understand what I say. And I beg you will liften to me, as to your friend and well-wisher; for, if you attend to the good advice I am about to give you, you will know more than you now do, live better lives, and fuch as become real Chriftians : and it will give me pleasure to observe, that my

congrega