if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ?1

Relying on his intercession, and supported continually by the grace of that Holy Spirit, whom he sent from his Father as our guide and comforter, with what alacrity should we proceed in the path of his commandments!2 Hath he set apart one day in seven, and hallowed it peculiarly for himself? That day then we are bound to observe by not finding our own pleasures, doing our own actions, or speaking our own words. Hath he established his sanctuary in the midst of us? Thither should we gladly resort, to mingle with his people, in that place where he hath promised peculiarly to pour forth his blessing. Never should we suffer our seats there to be empty, except in cases of urgent necessity. Never should we admit to ourselves any excuse for absence, but such as we feel convinced will be accepted at that great day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be laid open, before the tribunal of our Judge. Hath he invited us to approach his holy altar, and hath he spread for the Chris

1

tian, as it were, a table in the wilderness? It becomes us to praise the Lord for his goodness, and to partake of his bounty with thankful hearts. And yet, though of late years there has been in this congregation a considerable increase of communicants, more especially from the humbler ranks of life, I still greatly fear, my brethren, that there are among us not à few, whose superior knowledge of their duty should have insured a more exemplary performance of it, who have seldom, if ever, attended the celebration of this holy ordi'nance. Do they consider this holding fast their profession? If the announcement of the intended administration of "the holy sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, to all such as are religiously and devotedly disposed," falls upon their ear, but dies away, as if it regarded them not; if they make no preparation "in the mean season by considering the dignity of that holy mystery, or by searching their own consciences, and examining their lives and conversations by the rules of God's commandments;" if they consequently return to church, neither more religiously nor devoutly disposed than before to profit by that merciful intima

tion,-is this holding fast their profession? When from the table of the Lord these accents of mercy are addressed to them, Come unto me, all that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you: This is my body that was broken ; this is my blood which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins: Do this in remembrance of me;-when from this gracious invitation they still turn away with indifference, can they call this holding fast their profession? No: it is pouring contempt upon their Saviour's death and passion, it is crucifying him afresh, and putting him to open shame.1

Bear with me, I entreat you, my brethren, in my fervent desire to withdraw you from this perilous path: Suffer the word of exhortation as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. As workers together with him, we beseech you that ye receive not this grace of God in vain ; but ratify speedily and constantly those solemn vows made at your baptism, when you were admitted within the bond of the Christian covenant, and present your bodies a living sa

See Note (A), in the Appendix.

Heb. xiii. 22.

for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. I have likewise witnessed with delight the improvements made in our Congregational Psalmody," and I trust that it will not only be still further improved, but perfected, by the union of every individual heart and voice in celebrating the praises of our God.

I have had great satisfaction also in observing the augmented attendance upon the public service in the afternoon. It is too much the practice with many professing Christians, to satisfy their conscience, by appearing once in the house of prayer on the Lord's day, and then to devote the remainder of it to the pleasures of society, to frivolity and amusement. But they should be reminded, that this is an unquestionable infringement upon that portion of their time, which God hath consecrated wholly to himself; and, also, that there is no surer mark of the decay of vital religion in our souls, than a reluctance to offer our evening sacrifice on the same spot where we had presented our morning prayer. It is therefore to me a source of the

1 Psalm lxxxiv. 1, 2.

2 See Appendix (C).

utmost gratification to observe this proof of a truly devotional spirit, progressively displaying itself in this congregation.

Nor is it less important to know, that this growing zeal in your duty towards God is accompanied by its natural consequence,-an additional ardour in your benevolence towards man. Unchecked, even by these times of commercial difficulty, that spirit has been manifested in ministering, beyond all former precedent, to individual distress; and your promptitude in contributing to the accomplishment of every object tending to the general good, has been fully attested to have increased of late years in a tenfold degree.' proof of your attention, both to the spiritual and bodily wants of your brethren, I might appeal to the support which you give to those old established charities, the Ward School and the Dispensary; and might further enlarge upon the useful exertions, which are beginning to be made by our Clothing, Maternal, and Visiting Societies. I might also dwell with delight upon what has fallen more under my

1

See Appendix (D).

2

See Appendix (E).

In

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