First, then, as a falling off from regular attendance upon public worship in the church is become too common in many places, and by those who have, in other respects, the report of being sober and seriously inclined persons; and as I am concerned to observe it is the case with some among ourselves, it naturally produces an inquiry into the cause, and equally inclines us to use our best endeavours to remove it.

It being past all doubt that the doctrines of our excellent Church are purely evangelical; its service easy to be understood, and at the same time most decent, solemn, and affecting; it must surely contain abundant food for the exercise of every devout soul; and, from the judicious regularity in which it repeats the whole of the sacred volume, its prayers and collects, and the due application of every Christian rite, no orderly and well-disposed person, but may find matter of exhortation and comfort, reproof and admonition, if he will but give earnest, uniform, and sincere attention to the holy form of worship it administers.

That any one should appear dissatisfied with such unexceptionable provision for the soul's health, affords matter of just surprise; and, as the only way to account for a disorder, is to trace it to the fountain-head, I think we may affirm one reason at least for the rise and growth of this very blameable conduct to be the want

of that early instruction I so fully treated of in my former Discourse ;-to the deficiency of such a solid foundation of sound principles as would answer every scruple of conscience, reconcile all misgiving fears, uphold the weak, satisfy the doubting, and put to flight a host of fanciful and false alarms, which either the artifice of the devil, or the infirmity that flesh is heir to, may occasionally raise in wavering or melancholy minds. I am ready to think, I say, that this great error of separating from the established worship, will be very much prevented by the humble means already mentioned; but, as this will chiefly afford armour to those who are coming up, those that have already started aside, we must endeavour to win back by such methods as their harder case more particularly requires : gentle counsel, seasonable argument, and charitable remonstrance, may possibly work upon some, though I am convinced the malady is often inveterate and stubborn; and, as it is doubtless more difficult to reclaim one that is prejudiced in a wrong cause, than to keep him in the right at first: we must, therefore, not slacken in the exercise of every likely means, but exert our best abilities in convincing them of the error and danger of their proceedings, and in vindicating the honour and sufficiency of that church, of which we are appointed the ministers. We must, as St. Paul did, become every thing to every

man, in a qualified sense of humility of deportment and charitable advice, that we may regain some we must, above all things, put up our petitions to Him who alone can give the increase, "that he would make us pastors according to his own heart."

Habit has such a powerful effect in every thing, that it may well be termed a second nature. Such as have been persuaded that they cannot receive due information on the Lord's Day, to supply the exercise of their minds for the rest of the week, must be supposed possessed of more than ordinary zeal for the things of God's law; and as such probably have been used to indulge this disposition at a distance from their home (however needless such practice), nor are able to give just reasons for the many objections to such conduct (and which I shall speak to presently), it is to be feared, either hypocrisy, perverseneess, conceited prejudice, a love of change, or some bad leaven, is at the bottom, if they persist in such unwarrantable desertion, and do not return to the sound and regular forms prescribed for their improvement.

If they profess to be of the Established Church, they should yield respectful deference to its authority, and not "take to themselves teachers of the lowest of the people." They have here the sanction of God's house, where alone his worship ought to be celebrated by

those who have enlisted themselves as members of the same.

In the plan I mean to adopt, with the view of weaning some, and preventing others, from following these exceptionable courses, I have fixed upon a day sanctified by the express order of the Church for public service. The additional mode of instruction intended to be employed, to keep such persons within the bounds of regularity, and yet supply their most pious inclinations with salutary food, has been approved by the advice and practice of many of our most exemplary rulers: and it is more particularly designed for the purpose of removing all manner of plea for frequenting promiscuous meetings in unlicensed places, and, if possible, to put a stop to so vain and unjustifiable a custom, which reflects indecently upon the industry or ability of the regular minister, and is highly reprovable upon every principle on which it can be examined. The humble instrument, through whom these helps to the more serious and the ignorant are held out, though he cannot, consistently with a becoming spirit of humility, enlarge upon any peculiar excellence of his own method of consulting their good, may yet safely attest the sincerity of the desire towards it, which is inferior in purity to that of none who may beguile you with the like assurance, and to whose care you in no respect belong; and, without the least impro

priety, I may add, you will have a satisfaction, which no self-created teacher can assume, that every thing is done decently and in order-that you are serving God in a regular way, under one who has received due authority to instruct you, and therefore you may more reasonably expect a blessing upon your sincere pursuits after further knowledge of God's will. Lastly, the hour fixed for the above good purpose, interferes neither with the labour of your respective callings, which is a duty God equally requires you to be truly diligent in following, nor with the very necessary care of your families during that portion of time you have to spare from the close of work to the hour of rest, which must be lost to them, if you are roaming about the country at late hours (however good the intention), and which cannot be avoided by those who are carried away by the attraction of various preachers. Whosoever advises you, from a false judgment of the true way of pursuing the one thing needful, that the good will makes up for every other deficiency, advises you against reason and Scripture, which is founded on reason, because Scripture cannot contradict itself, and because nothing is essentially good which tends to defeat a greater good: and it will certainly prove more profitable to you, on all accounts, to provide diligently for the welfare of your children at home (since you are told in God's word, that